What exactly is going to happen this weekend? I am going to run the L.A. Marathon.
Traveling across the United States has its perks but now that I’m back, I’m both ready and nervous for this Sunday’s event.
If you see me on television, I’ll be the guy they take on a gurney to the ambulance after collapsing on the 15th mile, I’m kidding… The fact of the matter is, I’ve been training all this time and it should pay off. If it doesn’t then there’s something wrong with how I’ve trained, plain and simple.
The intention is not to break any record; it’s not ego trip either. I believe that everyone should do one extraordinary thing at least once in their lifetime. Push yourself to the limit and see how far your mind and body can take you. I don’t mean jumping in blind and acting stupid; what I’m emphasizing is taking calculated risks, the kinds that might have a long-term positive impact on you.
Do something out of your comfort zone from time-to-time and survive to tell the story. It will not only make you a well-rounded, interesting person, but it will also boost your confidence, which be helpful in every aspect of your daily life, from work and school, all the way to relationships.
But enough with trying to sound like a wannabe motivational speaker. I am first and foremost a movie buff and in celebration of the thousands of people who are about to run 26.2 miles, here are the Top10 movies that I think have the coolest running scenes in the history of cinema.
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981): Who can forget the part where our adventurous hero Dr. Indiana Jones realized that stealing the artifact meant releasing a big boulder that was aiming to run him over?! His running scene has been spoofed by millions ever since.
Run Lola Run (1999): This is one of those cult hit movies that’s famous by word of mouth and those who’ve watched it have a similar reaction: “That was awesome!” A game of chances, in this movie you see our heroine Franka Potente running through three different scenarios, every one of them was to save her boyfriend from doing the dumbest mistake of his life. But not every way lead to a happy ending.
The Running Man (1987): This is how you know that reality shows can take a deadly turn. Long before there were Survivors, Amazing Race and today’s so-called “unscripted” shows, there was one game show which had our governor Arnold running for his life. If he could escape those who were paid to hunt him down like an animal, then he would have his freedom. It doesn’t sound like a good deal to me.
The Marathon Man (1976): The title speaks for itself. Dustin Hoffman began the movie with him running, a skill which proves to be very useful when eluding the bad guys.
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991): Actor Robert Patrick as T-1000, liquid metal cybernetic organism, capable of morphing into anything he touches and what made him even more dangerous was that he could run faster than a cheetah. Shooting him wouldn’t do any good.
Rocky (1976): The classic scene of running up the Rocky steps. That’s the nickname people give to the step of the Philadelphia Art Museum where the greatest underdog ever raised his arms in triumph at the end of his training.
And Justice For All… (1979): I have to put Al Pacino in the list; he’s my role model when it comes to acting. His performance in this movie is definitely one of his best. In one of the scenes, he experienced some sort of epiphany, and for a brief moment, while in full suit and tie he decided to run with a group of joggers who seem confused about their surprise guest.
Chariots of Fire (1981): A bunch of British sprinters who run in slow motion. Inspirational movie, but what’s even more memorable is the original score, the amazing music that has a certain melody you can never forget, every time you hear it, you feel like doing something silly in slow motion.
Casino Royale (2006): The thrill of the opening scene left everyone speechless in awe. No words can describe the adrenaline rush we felt when James Bond (Daniel Craig) was struggling to catch up to the bad guy who was able to run like the wind, literally.
Forrest Gump (1994): From the famous line “Run Forrest Run!” to the 3 year run back and forth across the country, our naive hero is an example that nice guys don’t have to finish last.
YSN member and movie aficionado Rama Tampubolon runs the movie review and discussion blog, Rama’s Screen, and was featured in “United 300,” which won for “Best Spoof” at the 2007 MTV Movie Awards. He’ll discuss the latest hot topics and movie reviews every Thursday on Waste Time Wisely.
